Pvt. Thomas J. Thomas - Co. D

Submitted by dnichols on Thu, 05/21/2009 - 21:16

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Thomas Jefferson Thomas was born May 17, 1836 in Georgia. On March 20, 1862, Thomas enrolled at Camp Bartow near Savannah in the “Murphey Guards,” receiving a $50 enlistment bounty. Two weeks later, he was transferred to the “McCullough Rifles.” Thomas was wounded July 1, 1863 at the battle of Gettysburg and captured on July 5, 1863 at South Mountain, Maryland during the retreat. He was first sent to Fort Delaware, Delaware, then transferred in October to Point Lookout military prison in Maryland. He was exchanged on February 18, 1865 and sent to Camp Lee in Richmond.

Upon returning to Georgia, Thomas married Angeline C. Nash on June 1, 1865 in DeKalb County where he took up farming. Thereafter, the couple moved to Fulton County. Thomas died June 19, 1891 in Atlanta and is buried at Stone Mountain Cemetery, DeKalb Co. Ga. His original tombstone bore the following inscription from an 1832 hymn by Samuel Francis Smith:

PEACEFUL BE THY SILENT SLUMBER,
PEACEFUL IN THY GRAVE SO LONE;
THOU NO MORE WILL JOIN OUR NUMBER
THOU NO MORE OUR SONG WILL KNOW
YET AGAIN WE HOPE TO MEET THEE
WHEN THE DAY OF LIFE IS FLED;
AND IN HEAVEN WITH JOY TO GREET THEE
WHEN NO FAREWELL TEARS ARE SHED.
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The Atlanta Constitution
20 June 1891

Mr. Thomas' Death
Mr. T.J. Thomas, aged fifty-two, died yesterday morning at 352 Wheat street. He leaves a widow and five children and countless friends to mourn his death. The body will be carried to Stone Mountain this morning for interment.
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